The St Barnabas Hospice Development, Titnore Lane, Goring-By-Sea, West Sussex

AOC conducted an excavation of a multi-period, 2.2ha, site at Titnore Lane, Goring-By-Sea in advance of redevelopment by St Barnabas House, a local independent charitable hospice. The overall project managers are Robinson Low Francis and the archaeological consultants advising St Barnabas are Gifford.

An archaeological evaluation of the site was undertaken in October/November 2005 by Archaeology South-East for a previous development proposal. Its results informed the brief for the excavation which was prepared by Gifford in consultation with West Sussex County Council's archaeologist. This was a key opportunity to study evolving patterns of settlement and land management on the West Sussex Coastal Plain.

The ten-week-long archaeological excavation began in August, revealing evidence of activity from between the Neolithic and post-medieval periods. Of greatest interest were remains associated with occupation during the Bronze Age, which included a possible trackway and a cluster of roundhouses, one of which measured 15m in diameter. Other principal features include several Iron Age boundary ditches and Romano-British enclosures and refuse pits associated with a small villa to the immediate south of the site.Significant finds include a cast bronze (harness?) ring of Late Bronze Age or Iron Age date, a Roman brooch and four medieval silver pennies. The post-excavation phase of the project, incorporating the results of the 2005 work, is now underway.

AOC Project Supervisors: Chris Clarke and Paolo Guarino
Client: St Barnabas House
Archaeological Consultants: Gifford